Lee Bell urged Crewe's players to stand up and be counted after tonight's latest setback – a home defeat at the hands of leaders Leyton Orient – left them with just one win in their last nine games.

Richie Wellen's men proved to be too clinical, although they were assisted by another spluttering home showing.

The Alex have four games against four clubs below them in the table this month, starting with Saturday's trip to Crawley, to make sure they don't get dragged into a relegation battle.

After their own difficult spell, Orient had eased their way to victory before the hour mark and back-to-back wins see them go seven points clear at the top of League Two.

The Londoners were ahead in the 31st minute after a clinical finish from on-loan Brighton youngster Ed Turns and despite a spirited fightback which saw Elliott Nevitt graze the outside of the post they confirmed their superiority with a second from Theo Archibald early in the second half (58).

They dominated possession, but a Crewe side showing five changes from the one defeated so easily by Grimsby last weekend, restricted them to just one sight of goal early on when Charlie Kelman nicked the ball past Dave Richards, but was denied by a goalmouth clearance by Rod McDonald.

It was a momentary reprieve, however, and Wellens' side were ahead when Turns drove a low finish into the corner of the net after being set up by Kelman for his first senior goal.

On-loan midfeilder Ryan Finnigan made his first start for Crewe (Picture credit: Kevin Warburton).

Keeper Lawrence Vigouroux preserved the visitors' lead when he pushed around Nevitt's rising drive and Dan Agyei fired an effort across the face of goal. Former Tranmere player Nevitt went even closer after the restart with a low shot onto the woodwork.

But the Alex were undone when a quick interchange of passages near to the corner flag let Kelman in and he pulled the ball back across the box for Archibald to finish with aplomb.

Bell said: "We're not getting enough goals and we've got to keep working at that. We have got to find ways to make it better.

"It won't be a case of us going to Crawley with fingers crossed on Saturday as we will be ready. I've let the players know that. There is a lot of frustration from the way we've played in the last two games, but they need to be ready and focused to execute what we want to do in the next game.

"We have got to stand up and be counted and put some performances in to get some results. But the results need to come before the performances at the moment so we put points on the board."

Elliott Nevitt (left) hit the post before Orient doubled their lead (Picture credit: Kevin Warburton).

Orient boss Wellens said: "One thing I'm proud of the players is the way we've carried that responsibility of being top of the league. We had a dry January but we were having to recruit centre halves and we went through a difficult patch.

"But when you consider that Paul Smyth is one of the top players in this league, then you take him out of our team and we are still putting performances like that in."